Vancouver hopes not to get buried by Avalanche
Funny thing about the Vancouver Canucks’ February schedule before we head into the final five games of the month.
The Canucks have hammered the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins, yet still manage to enter tonight’s game at Rogers Arena against the Colorado Avalanche with a 3-6 won-lost record on the calendar.
The Avalanche, 14 points up on the Canucks in the Western Conference tilt, will be the first of five games in a nine-day span for the Canucks.
THE BIG MATCHUP
Boeser vs. The Wrist
Brock Boeser losing a shooting-accuracy SuperSkills contest? He won that event at the NHL All-Star Game, but finished second to Bo Horvat on Sunday when the centre needed just five shots to strike four targets. Boeser had to first corral a pass then release his shots Sunday, so how much did that wrapped right wrist come into play? Is it keeping him from building on a league-best 27 rookie goals? He missed one game after Dan Girardi fell on the wrist Feb. 8.
“Maybe with some motions it’s a little bothering, but not during games,” said Boeser. “Usually, adrenalin takes over at that point.”
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Will Green ride the Nilsson wave?
Anders Nilsson has been hotter than Jacob Markstrom of late and is coming off a sparkling 44-save performance Saturday in a 6-1 rout of the Boston Bruins.
You’d like to think Travis Green would like to ride that momentum wave tonight, but he’s also wary of keeping his designated starter sharper. That said, he said this of Nilsson: “I really like how he’s focused and dialed in at practice. He’s treating every one like it’s game like. Every good goalie, you can’t score on him in practice. I’ve seen that part change in his game the last couple of months.”
2. One wing at a time for Virtanen That Jake Virtanen bolt down the left side Saturday, in which the rightwinger schooled Torey Krug and scored on a backhand-to-forehand move, makes you wonder if he should get a look on the left side.
The right-handed shot plays the right side for obvious reasons and has more shooting options cutting across the slot. “I’ve thought of playing him everywhere, but he’s a natural rightwinger,” said Green. “Has it popped into my head? Yeah. But I want Jake to master playing right wing.”
3. Yet another Eriksson mirage? We’ve asked the question on several occasions: Where has the wayward winger been? Loui Eriksson scored twice Saturday, had four shots, was a plus-2 and had three take-aways. He was also part of a penalty killing unit that had a clean sheet in not allowing the Bruins a man-advantage goal on five opportunities. Eriksson has always been good away from the puck, but US$6 million for 10 goals in 47 games?
4. No Granlund, no PK problem Markus Granlund is gone for the season following ankle surgery and the penalty kill was expected to be a problem in the winger’s absence. But the struggling unit has had perfect outings in four of the last five games and Brandon Sutter knows why.
“Winning those faceoffs early in a kill and making their top guys go down the ice a couple of extra times and it kind of wears you out on the power play,” said the centre. “And our clears have been better and we haven’t turned many pucks over.”
5. Holm still on hold for Green After seven seasons in Sweden, recalled defenceman Philip Holm has 11 goals for the Utica Comets, including seven on the power play and could bring what the Canucks desperately need. But he has yet to play an NHL regular-season game. With practice time this week he may finally get in on the upcoming road trip that includes back-to-back games.